The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-08-20
chow COULD THEY"

1u0 IHu6peUu6Vt 10 SlodIly ulStuIUcU
over an article that recently appeared
in the New York Evening Post, drawn
out by Robert G. Ingersoll's article in
the North American Revieao, in which
the writer, who is identified as the son
Of deceased orthodox clergyman of
high repute, gives some "reminiscences
of old-time preachers in New England,
dwelling particularly on the horrible
doctrines they preached with so much
earnestness in the pulpit, and the con-
trast exhibited by the fun and frolic of
these same ministers in familiar every
day life. After preaching their most
terrible sermons, these men would dine
heartily and crack their jokes together
as if there was no reality in the scenes
they pictured in the pulpit. Officially,
as it were, damning vast multitudes of
the world to an eternal perdition, and
then coolly enjoying themselves at the
table, and in the family circle, with no
apparent shadow resting over them, or
no after-pulse of sympathy stirring
within them, over the fate of the unre-
pentant and unbelieving. This con-
duct involved mystery which is in
applicable on the theory that these men
really and truly believed the doctrines
they preached. "As children" says
the writer, 1--WE were often overshad-
owed by the assemblages of the 'Suf-
folk and Norfolk county associations
and 1 do not believe that any of those
men were hypocrites. DR.. Storrs, of
Braintree, father of the present DR..
Storrs, of Brooklyn, was one of them.
He often came to Dorchester on an ex-
change. He was fearfully eloquent
preacher. In his excitement he would
pound the Bible and thrash the cushion
with a vehemence that was terrible as
the doctrines he enforced. He would
picture the danger of the unregenerate
soul, the death-bed of the sinner, the
day of judgment, the writhing of the
stone, with all the power of his oratory,
with shouting voice and with glaring
eyes. Had he not been preaching against
the devil, we would have supposed that
the devil himself was in the pulpit.
When DR.. Storrs, DR.. Beecher, DR.. Fin
ney, or any of these terrible men came
home to dine, and cracked their Jokes
at the table, what wonder was it that
we poor little children who had just
been frightened by them nearly to death
wondered how they could2' That was
indeed mystery"
"How could they?" indeed Here
was the mystery. 1t will not do to say
that these good men were hypocrites,
and did not, after fashion, believe in
the doctrines which they preached.
That would be uncharitable in the
highest degree; yet it is plain that they
did not believe them in any such sense
as lent positive reality to their con-
victions, for surely if the belief in eter-
nal damnation, and "the writing of
the damned in the lake of fire and
brimstone," took full possession of
them, and was believed in all its terri
BILE fulness, they could not have much
relish for the ordinary enjoyments of
life. To argue otherwise would be to
practically declare them without hui
name and tender feeling, and devoid of
the natural sympathies of their kind.
But how to reconcile their preaching
with their ree-and-easy conduct, when
myriads of their fellow beings were
dropping into hell to become the play
things of fiends and to endure eyerlast-
ing torment, that is something of
problem. 1t is the inconsistency which
inheres in the belief in old doctrines,
when the attempt is made to harmonic
belief and conduct.
But why should the Independent be
disturbed over the article in the Post,
even though the surmise is correct
that it comes from the son Of the late
DR.. Goldman, of Dorchester There is
nothing particularly new in the state
ment of the writer, or the implication